FSFE to award 36 Fellowship grants over the next 12 months!

on: 2009-11-09

Starting in November 2009, Free Software Foundation
Europe (FSFE) will award three people with a Fellowship grant every month
for the coming year. Everybody who is actively working for Free Software
but cannot afford the Fellowship contribution can apply for the grant.

Despite financial constraints many people in the Free Software
community devote a great deal of their time to Free Software activities.
For example programming, translating, administrating, organising events,
giving talks or advocating Free Software principles at public events.
FSFE has now found a way to recognise their efforts and let them become
part of the Fellowship.

Matthias Kirschner, FSFE's Fellowship coordinator, says: "The
Fellowship is the primary way people
can identify with and support FSFE. It has always consisted of three aspects:
financial support, political weight, and active engagement. We are offering the
Fellowship grant for people who have shown their dedication to the cause of
Free Software. We won't allow financial problems to hold anyone back from becoming
part of the Fellowship community."

The Fellowship grant is made possible by FSFE's supporters.
Thanks to a generous donation from tarent GmbH, FSFE is finally able to offer the
Fellowship grant to Free Software activists as a reward for exceptional
work. Thanks to these donations, 36 new Fellows will be joining the
Fellowship over the next 12 months.

Elmar Geese, CEO at tarent GmbH says: "We grew closer to the Fellowship of
FSFE since some of our employees are already Fellows. We know that being a
Fellow is a great way to become involved with FSFE and make a real
difference for Free Software. We are glad that our contribution will allow
other enthusiastic people to become part of the Fellowship."

Dedicated Free Software supporters can apply for a Fellowship grant by
writing an e-mail to fellowship@fsfeurope.org, explaining what they are
doing to promote Free Software. Each month, FSFE will select outstanding
candidates and announce the decisions at the beginning of the following
month.